Dental attachment for use in connection with removable bridges



March 13, 1951 F. STARK ET AL 2,545,316

DENTAL ATTACHMENT FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH REMOVABLE BRIDGES Filed Jan. 51, 1947 INVENTORS EPAWA 6742/ 'BY IZL/X Jp/a/w/v 24 HI VATTORNEY Z 4 W 2 E 5 I m Ma Ii T G 5 I H w a w Q Q \ll M fl l?/IV A NWT W I m. 1 w 4 lxmw z NN WM 1&5 a n M m m mv I Patented Mar. 13, 1951 NECTION WITH REMOVABLE BRIDGES Frank Stark and Felix Spielrnan, New York, N. Y. Application January 31, 1947, Serial N 0. 725,508

6 Claims.

This invention relates to. dentistry, and more articmarly to a dental attachment for use in connection witfi re'mbllable bridges, which con" prises a male element and a female element shaped for receiving said male element.

In hitherto customary dental attachments of this type the male element mounted on the bridge and the female element mounted on a natural tooth are held in their proper engaging position by means of friction. For this purpose, the male element is shapedso as" to fit snugly into the female element; iurtherlnore, the male element is provided with slots forming adjustable wings,

.Which by the action Of the resiliency 6f the metal used for the male element shall be urged against the wall of the female element soas to generate the desired degree of friction. such frictional dehtal attachments prove to be disadvantageous in practice. The mounting of the male element on the bridge requires heat treatment and it is .di'ffiillt for the technician performin the bridge work to retain the original resiliency of the metal when the latter is subjected to heat. Therefore, the wines of the male element of the dental attachlrient of the finished bridge lack sufficient resiliency, so that the bridge is not safely held in its position in the mouth of the wearer. Moreover, after use for a period of time, the male element does no longer fit snugly into the female element, and the resiliency of the wings, if any,

decreases to such a degree, that the bridge becomes loose and requires a readjustment which corrects only temporarily the lack of sufficieiit friction. Furthermore, the use of friction for holding the male andfe'ma le elements in engageinent with each other requires rather large cooperating surfaces of said elements, so that the profession is reluctant in using frictional dental attachments for so-called short-bite cases.

An object of the present invention is to pro vide a dental attachment, by means of which a removable bridge may be securely fixed in the mouth. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dental attachment for removable bridges, wherein the efficiency of the means hold ing the male and female elements in proper en gagement with each other is not reduced after use for a period of time. I

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dental attachment which may be subjected to heat treatment without damage to the means securing the engagement of the male and female elements with each other in their proper engaging position. I I

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a dental attachment for removable bridges, which. may be readily applied to called short-bite cases.

construction, arrangement A further object of the present invention is to i prove upon dental attachments for removable bridges now ordinarily made.

With the above and other objects or the inve'n tion in view, the invention consists in the novel and combination of various elements and parts,

claims hereof, an embodiment of the same being described in the specification and being illus-' trated in the. accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

7 illustrating a removable bridge attached to adjacent natural teeth by means of a dental attachment according to the invention, v

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of one of the two at: tachments of the bridge shown in Fig. 1 in aii enlarged scale, 7

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on knee-'3 of Fig. 2, I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 4-4 or Fig. 2, 5

Fig. 5 is a fragm ntary sectional View similar to that shown inFig. '4, wherein, however, the male element of the attachment is in an inter Fig. 1 is atop plan view "mediate position during the insertion of the re:

moval of the bridge,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the male element of the attachment according to the in'-" vention prior to its shaping in accordance with the occlusion of a tooth, the spring=loaded locking pin being omitted, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the re: male element of the attachment prior to its shaa ing in accordance with the occlusion of a tooth. Referring now to Fig. l, a removable bridge comprising two false teeth [2 and Hi. Said bridge III is r'emov'ably attached to adjacent natural teeth It and I8 by means of two attachments generally indicated by '22 and For an understanding of the invention' it is sufficient to describe hereinafter in detail only" the dental attachment generally indicated by 22.

As best shown in Figs. 2-7, the dental attach 'ment 22 comprises a male moment 24 and a female element 26 shaped for slidablvrece'iviiig said male element 24. The base 28 of the male element may be secured in any suitable manner, for example by soldering, to a metallic upright 3E3 connected with the false tooth I2 of the The female element zemay e ar ranged in and secured to a metallic inlay 32 which, after the attachment or the female element 26, is mounted in and cemented to a prepared cavity 36 of the natural tooth It.

The male element 24 35 near its lower end as The longitudinal axis of'said bore 33 extends perpendicular to the longitudinal or the main as set forth in the 10- generally indicates" iS provided jwith a tore viewed in the drawings.-

body of the male element 24. The bore 36 has adjacent chambers 38 and 46 of different cross section, the diameter of the chamber 38 being larger than the diameter of the chamber 46, whereby a shoulder .42 is formed between the chambers 38 and 40 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The chamber 38 of the bore 36 merges into a recess 44 cut into the main body of the male element 24. Furthermore, the main body of the male element 24 is provided with a first groove 46 and a second groove 48 merging into the recess 44.

A locking pin 56 having a main body 52 fitting into the chamber 38 of large diameter and having a body 54 of reduced cross section fitting into the chamber 46 of small diameter is slidably arranged in the bore 36. .A fiat spring 56 inserted at one of its ends into the first groove 46 of the male element 24 and engaged at its other end with one end of the locking pin 50 tends to urge the main body 52 of the locking pin 50 against the stop formed by the shoulder 42 into its normal position, wherein a small portion 58 of the reduced portion 54 protrudes from the surface of the male element 24. Said portion 58 of the reduced portion 54 of the locking pin 56 is tapered, preferably at an angle of 45. Said normal protruding position of the locking pin 56 is limited by the stop 42 in such a way, that the basis 66 of the tapered portion 58 is in alignment with the surface of the male element 24 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The female element 26 comprises a casing 62 open at the top and closed at the bottom by a wall 64. Furthermore, said casing 62 is provided with a longitudinal slot 66. The casing 62 is soldered to a front plate 68 having a slot 16 in register with the slot 66 of the casing 62. The bottom wall 12 of said slot 16 of the front plate 68 is flush with the bottom 64 of the casing 62. Said slots 66 and 16 are arranged for receiving the neck portion 14 of the male element 24 when the male element is inserted into the female element. The bottom 64 of the casing 62 serves as a bottom for the male element 24 so as to limit the proper engaging position of the male and female elements and to take up the full load of the biting forces acting on the bridge.

Furthermore, as best shown in Fig. 5, the casing 62 of the female element 26 is provided with a reduced portion of the locking pins of the dental attachments at the lingual permits the use of the dental attachments also for incisors or eyeteeth, which require a trimming of the upper edges of the male and female elements in a plane a of great inclination.

bore 16 having a flaring end 18 forming a recess capable of receiving the tapered portion 58 of the locking pin 50, when the male element 24 and the female element 26 are in their proper engaging position.

Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate the male and female elements of the dental attachment with straight upper surfaces. It is understood, that the upper contours of the male and female elements are shapedby the technician in accordance with the occlusion of the teeth as may be recognized from Fig. 4.

I he dental attachment 226 (see Fig. 1) is of the same general organization as the dental attachm-ent 22 described above in detail. The

locking pin 566 of said dental attachment 226 is arranged in the male element 246 in such a manner, that its reduced portion 546 with the protruding tapered end is at the lingual as is the case with the reduced portion 54 of the locking pin 56 of the dental attachment 22. Of course, the female element 266 of the dental attachment 220 also has its recess capable of receiving the protruding end of the locking pin 506 at the lingual. Above mentioned arrangement of the into thefemale elements. As soon as, during such a pushing movement,.the projecting tapered portion 58 of the spring-loaded locking pin 56 hits the upper surface of the casing 62 of the female element 26, the locking pin 56 is brought from its normal protruding position into a temporary retractedposition (shown in Fig. 5, for example) against the action of the spring 56, which may be bent into the groove 48. Said pushing of the spring-loaded locking pin 56 into said retracted position is caused by the cooperation of the upper edge of the female element 26 with the inclined surface of the tapered portion 58 of the locking pin. As soon as the male element into its proper engaging position with the female element 26 limited by the abutment of the male element 24 against the bottom 64 of the casing 62, i. e. as soon as the bridge is in its proper position in the mouth, the tapered portion 58 of the locking pin 56 has been snapped automatically into the recess E8 of the female element 26 by the action of the spring 56. .Thus, the male element 24 and the female element 26 of the dental attachment 22 are mechanically interlocked as shown in Fig. 4, whereby the bridge I6 is safely held in its proper position.

If it is desired to remove the bridge H] from the mouth, a pulling action is applied to the bridge and the male elements 24, 246 connected therewith. In response to such a pulling action, the inclined wall of the recess 18 cooperating with the inclined surface of the tapered portion 58 causes a movement of the locking pin into its temporary retracted position against the action of the spring 56, so that the bridge may readily be removed from the mouth. As soon as, during such a pulling movement, the tapered portion 58 of the locking pin 56 is brought beyond the upper edge of the casing 62 of the female element 26, the spring 56 urges automatically the locking pin 56 against the stop 42, so that the tapered portion 58 projects again from the surface of the male element 24.

As will be readily understood from above, the

male and female elements of the dental attachment and female element may be small, if necessary, without reducing the efliciency of the interlocking snap fastening device. Consequently, a

.dental attachment according to the invention may also very well be applied to so-called shortbite cases, wherein most of the body of the male and female elements must be trimmed away.

We have described a preferred embodiment of our invention, but it is understood that nuthe male elements 24 and 246 of 24 is pushed merous changes and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, the mechanical interlocking means may be of a different type from that shown in the drawings. Instead of a locking pin, a locking member of different shape could be used. Instead of a flat spring, a spring of different type could be arranged in the attachment. Furthermore, it is possible to use a plurality of lockin devices, if desired. Moreover, the groove receiving the spring acting on the locking pin may be arranged in the male element, if desired.

What we claim is:

1. A dental attachment for use in connection with removable bridges, comprising: a male element, a female element shaped for slidably reupper section of the ceiving said male element, said male element.

having a cut-out at one of its sides and having a bore extending from said cut-out through said male element to the opposite side thereof, one end of said bore communicating with said outout of the male element, the other end of said bore being open at said opposite side of the male, element,-a stop arranged on said male element, a locking pin, said locking pin being insertable at the cut-out portion of said male element through said first mentioned end of the bore towards said stop and being shiftable in said bore, said male element having a groove, said groove communicating with said cut-out and being arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said bore, a flat spring, one end of said flat spring being anchored in said groove, the other end of said fiat spring being in engagement with said locking pin for urging same against said stop into a normal position wherein a portion of said locking pin protrudes from said opposite side of the male element, and engaging means on said female element arranged for interlocking engagement with the protruding portion of said locking pin when the male and female elements are in proper engaging position.

2. A dental attachment for use in connection with removable bridges, comprising: a male element, a female element shaped for slidably receiving said male element, said male element having a cut-out at one of its sides and having a bore extending from said cut-out through said male element to the opposite side thereof, one end of said bore communicating with said cutout of the male element, the other end of said bore being open at said opposite side of the male element, a stop arranged on said male element, a locking pin, said locking pin being insertable at the cut-out portion of said male element through said first mentioned end of the bore towards said stop and being shiftable in said g bore, said male element having a groove, said groove communicating with said cut-out and being arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said bore, at least one end of said groove starting at the surface of said male element, a flat spring, one end of said fiat spring being anchored in said groove, the other end of said flat spring being in engagement with said locking pin for urging same against said stop into a normal position wherein a portion of said looking pin protrudes from said opposite side of the male element, and engaging means on said female element arranged for interlocking engagement with the protruding portion of said locking pin when the male and female elements are in proper engaging position.

'3. In a dental attachment'a's claimed in claim 1, said male element jac'ent said first groove and substantially parallel to the latter, said second groove being of less depth than said first groove and communicating with said cut-out and with said first groove so as to permit an increased bending of said fiat spring.

4. A dental attachment for use in connection with removable bridges, comprising: a male element, a female element shaped for slidably receiving said male element, said male element having a cut-out at one of its sides and having a bore extending from said cut-out through said male element to the end of said bore communicating with said outout of the male element, the other end of said bore being open at said'opposite side of the male element, said borev including two chambers of different diameters whereby a shoulder is formed,

a locking pin having body sections of difierent diameters whereby an abutment is formed at the body section of larger diameter, said locking pin being insertable at the cut-out portion of said male element through said first mentioned end of the bore towards said stop and being shiftable in said bore, said male element having a groove, said groove communicating with said cut-out and being arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said bore, a flat spring, one end of said fiat spring being anchored in said groove, the other end of said flat spring being in engagement with said locking pin for urging same with its abutment against said shoulder into a normal position wherein a portion of said locking pin protrudes from said opposite side of the male element, and engaging meanson said female element arranged for interlocking engagement with the protruding portion of said locking pin when the male and female elements are in proper engaging position.

5. A dental attachment for use in connection with removable bridges, comprising: a male element, a female element shaped for slidably receiving said male element, said male element having a cut-out at one of its sides and having a bore extending from said cut-out through said male r element to the opposite side thereof, one end of said bore communicating with said cut-out of the male element, the other end of said bore being open at said opposite said bore including two chambers of different diameters whereby a shoulder is formed, a looking pin having body sections of difierent diameters whereby an abutment is formed at the body section of larger diameter, said locking pin being insertable at the cut-out portion of said male element through said first mentioned end of the bore towards said stop and being shiftable in said bore, said male element having a groove, said groove communicating with said cut-out and being arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said bore, at least one end of said groove starting at the surface of said male element, a fiat spring, one end of said flat spring being anchored in said groove, the other end of said flat spring being in engagement with said locking pin for urging same with its abutment against said shoulder into a normal position wherein a portion of said locking pin protrudes from said opposite side of the male element, and engaging means on said female element arranged for interlocking engagement with the protruding portion of said locking pin when the male and female elements are in proper engaging position.

having a second groove adopposite side thereof, one

side of the male element,

1 6. In a dental attachment as claimed in claim 5, said male element having a second groove adjacent said first groove and substantially parallel to the latter, said second groove being of less depth than said first groove and communicating with said cut-out and with said first groove so as to permit an increased bending of said flat spring.

FRANK STARK.

FELIX SPIELMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 0 Number Name Date Griswold July 7, 1903 Guntner Mar. 18, 1919 Moore Oct. 11, 1927 Shapiro June 14, 1932 Stern Dec. 16, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Jan. 5, 1932 

